Like us humans, every animal deserves to be loved, a place to call home, a family to nurture them, and a life free from fear and loneliness. Big or small, old or young, they should not have to face the world alone, scared and vulnerable, without knowing the comfort of a cozy bed to sleep in at night.

This is why Malou Perez, an animal lover from Bacolod, turned her lifelong passion into action. In 2018, she founded Pawssion Project, a non-profit organization that rescues, rehabilitates, and rehomes abused, neglected, and abandoned animals. Today, the organization has rescued thousands of stray animals and has launched numerous initiatives and projects to help take care of them.

In time for International Homeless Animals Day and National Aspin Day this August, The Beat Asia had the chance to talk to Malou about her journey as Pawssion Project’s founder, the joys and heartbreaks that come with it, and more.

From Passion to Pawssion: How Pawssion Project Started

“I’ve always wanted to put up a dog shelter, but it’s one of those dreams that’s just in my head — like a kid wanting to be an astronaut,” she said.

Before founding Pawssion Project, Perez quit her corporate job to focus on self-love and begin traveling and exploring her passions in life. This includes establishing Passion Project, an online business that raises awareness about the use of single-use plastics.

It was this journey of self-love that led her to extend a helping hand to stray animals in need. As if fate allowed, it was during this period that she found a Facebook post about 50 dogs from the Bacolod City Pound who were scheduled to be killed. This was when she knew that rescuing these dogs and turning her dream into a reality was what she was meant to do.

“I always feel like the opportunity to save the dogs came at the right time. If I had seen the post about the dogs on death row at the pound while I was still doing a regular corporate job, I probably wouldn’t have jumped to the conclusion of saving them and putting up a shelter for them because there was no time to do it. I wasn’t emotionally ready for that.”

“I believe everything happens for a reason, and I was prepared for that. I feel like Pawssion Project is really in my book, and it was meant for me. All I had to do was say yes to it,” she added.

Thanks to her friend, Manang Jen, she also found a place to take care of these animals, which would eventually be the home of Pawssion Project.

Six years later, Pawssion Project has already rescued over 2,000 dogs and cats, rehomed over 1,000, and is currently sheltering about 700 dogs and cats in its Bacolod and Bulacan shelters. But it doesn’t stop there. With the help of social media, Malou and Pawssion Project have been raising awareness about the realities that stray animals face.

The Joys and Heartbreaks of Being a Rescuer

Establishing Pawssion Project also meant that she had to give up a lot of things, like spending time with her family and friends and traveling. But more than anything, the most painful thing for Malou about this venture is seeing more and more neglected animals suffering and barely surviving.

“[The hardest part is] the heartbreak every day. Losing rescues, dealing with all the reports every day, receiving hundreds of reports of animal cruelty, of abandonment, people wanting to surrender their pets to you, it’s just very heartbreaking,” she shared.

Amid all the mental, emotional, and physical stresses that she has experienced taking this path, Malou chooses not to give up but to work even harder to be able to support these strays.

"How do I deal with everything? I ask myself why I’m doing this. I don’t think there are a lot of people who are living life with a sense of purpose. I feel very fortunate to be living a purposeful life. I feel like I would be so ungrateful to just let go of this one.”

On what makes her work at Pawssion Project rewarding, Malou said, “You just feel that sense of gratitude that you’re given that chance to be a part of their journey, to actually save and change a life.”

“Just seeing the rescues running around, playing at the shelter, and going to good homes, it gives you that immeasurable joy that money can never buy."

Another thing that gives Malou joy is how Pawssion Project is able to inspire other people, in a lot more ways, to look out for animals.

“How often can we actually have that chance of making an impact in the lives of people that we don’t know? I feel so lucky that I’m just doing something I’m very passionate about, and then I realize, in the end, so many animals are actually getting the help that they need because people are inspired by the work that we do.”

How You Can Help

Beyond reporting cases of neglected strays to rescuers, Malou calls out to the public to help these animals in their own capacity, whether it’s by donating to shelters, adopting, volunteering, or simply advocating animal welfare through their platforms.

“You can do it. You may feel so overwhelmed, but I believe each and every one of us has the capacity to save and change a life. Of course, we’re more than willing to help and assist in any way possible, but there’s no way we can rescue every dog and cat in need; that’s why we need the help of everybody in the community."

At the end of the day, one animal is one life. It does not take having a heart of gold to help abandoned stray animals, but simply turning compassion into action goes a long way.

Want to take part in Pawssion Project’s initiatives? Check out their website or follow them on Facebook, Instagram, and X (formerly Twitter) to see how you can volunteer, donate, or adopt, or email them at info@pawssionproject.org for more information.